A review by kizzia
The King's Mother by Annie Garthwaite

adventurous challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Sometimes a follow up book can be a disappointment but I’m happy to report that this is absolutely not the case here. Taking us up to Cecily’s death this book is just as gripping, well written and compulsive as the first. Not only does it create a believable narrative around some of the murkier rumours that circulated during and after Edward IV’s reign, it offers a wonderful interpretation of Margaret Beaufort that I have to say is possibly my favourite characterisation of her to date.  

You do absolutely need to have read Cecily before you read this since so much of who she is in this book is informed by what happened in the first that her characterisation might be difficult to understand without it. However that’s not a problem because these are both truly excellent books that I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend to anyone, historical fiction fan or not.